GMO Apples That Don’t Brown To Be Tested In The U.S.

Early next month the first genetically modified apples are expected to go on sale in the United States. Golden Artic® apples, apples that are the “same” as the apple varieties people are familiar with, but genetically modified to eliminate browning through removing the brown-causing enzyme, will be sold in packages and sliced for your convenience.

According to the website the company wanted to make apples more appealing and convenient due to declining apple consumption. It also states that taking away the browning enzyme will avoid use of “added chemical additives or souring agents”, which can often slow the browning process. Many companies currently use vitamin C spray and in-home people can use lemons or lemon-lime sodas to delay browning.

The apples, which are produced by Okanagan Specialty Fruits (OSF) in Canada will go on sale at 10 stores in the Midwest. The company declined to name the stores in a CNN article and said that it will be up to the stores themselves to disclose that information. The U.S. will be the first test for the apples, which have not been launched in OSF’s home country of Canada.

“This is a Test Marketing exercise and should not be confused with the commercial launch,” said Neal Carter, a spokeswoman for OSF in an email. “We are not releasing the location information for this test market to avoid skewing consumer research data. When we initiate our commercial launch, planned for fall 2017, we will manage promotions consistent with industry standards and our retail customers’ needs.”

“Biotechnology is extremely precise and allows for the introduction or, in this case, the removal of genes without causing any further changes to the plants and the resulting food products,” Carter said. “Arctic® apples were created by using the apple’s own DNA to silence the gene responsible for production of polyphenol oxidase (PPO), the enzyme that causes browning in apples.”

In the U.S. there are different agencies responsible for GMOs depending on the situation. The FDA is responsible for food, drugs and biological products while the Environmental Protection Agency is in charge of GMO pesticides and microorganisms. The FDA only regulates the final product outcome when considering something GMO, not the process by which they are produced. Meaning, if the end outcome is genetically the same, the U.S. does not require companies to disclose that they were produced through a genetically modified process.

“To be considered safe for consumption OSF had to prove that the apples had the same nutrition and composition as the conventional counterparts,” Carter said.

The Arctic Golden and Arctic Granny will be the first apples to be available with Arctic Fuji to follow. The company states on its website that the apples have the same nutritional value of a non-modified apple and they claim that when an apple browns it “burns up” the nutritional value of an apple. It also claims that you will still be able to tell when an apple is rotting because, “enzymatic browning, is different from the discoloration that results when rotting from fungal and bacterial infections” and the apples will still decompose.

Still, moms are apprehensive about losing the natural browning process.

“I have enough to worry about let alone people doing crazy stuff to fruit,” said Liz Winslow who has an elementary school son. “Does a little timer pop up like it does when you cook a turkey to say when the apple is bad?” ___________________________________________________________________

Our View

Here’s the part where I tell you I’m not necessarily opposed to genetically modified food, and I eat an apple a day, usually smothered in peanut butter. I’m sitting here right now as I type eating popcorn, which is probably from genetically modified corn because much of the corn in the United States is on some level.

I believe that genetically modified food might be the answer to solving some of the world’s hunger problems and/or issues with crop perseverance, but it’s a double edged sword because I also believe in going too far.

In this case, the browning of the apples isn’t specifically troubling to me as a person. As a mom, I know my daughter is less likely to eat an apple that had turned brown. I know that I am less likely to eat an apple that has turned very brown. I wonder though, if you take away the natural decay process of food, how will consumers be able to tell when the food has actually gone bad? Isn’t the browning the first step?

I don’t eat all natural and I don’t at all organic. I’ve worked in the food industry and I’ve worked for nutritionists. I do have an understanding about the method behind the perceived madness when it comes to food science. I actually love food scientists. They’re incredibly smart and problem solvers at their core. Pun intended.

However, I do also believe in complete transparency for the consumer. In the United States that can be such a slippery slope since the GMO regulation only takes the end result into account.

At the end of the day, I just want to know what I’m eating, where it comes from, how it’s made and then make the decision whether or not it’s something I’m going to eat or feel comfortable giving my kids. To do that we just have to be informed and it is the responsibility of companies to inform us, despite what the law says.

27 COMMENTS

How unfortunate. While I myself don’t always eat organic I try my very best to avoid products that are gmo. I like to shop at my local farmers markets where I can talk first hand with the farmers to make the best choices for me.

I like this idea as well. Talking to the farmers and knowing exactly what the process is, is important. Also it is probably nice for the growers to hear your opinions and also for them to be able to feel appreciated. I will take this advice with me the next time I visit our local farmers market.

This really bothers me – I don’t think we should mess with something that doesn’t need to be messed with. There are apples that don’t brown as fast as others – why not just eat those ones if you have issues with your apples turning brown.

hmmm yer I agree with you, I think it’s scientifically fantastic and our ability to help grow crops can deal with feeding everyone and makes it more convenient but is taking the natural browning out a little too far. I am not sure I would feed to my kids, like you I eat popcorn and I am not as organic as we like, but for the sake of a less brown apple I don’t think it is worth feeding it too them.

I feel the same way about this being a double edged sword. I really don;t think that we should be messing around with the genetic make up of food and I do also try and eat non-gmo when I can. BUT a lot of organic activists stress on not focusing on that because when GMO’s a’rent used the food is usually sprayed with a lot of chemicals UNLESS it’s organic. I’m also wondering how are we supposed to know if the apple is bad. Is it ever bad? That just really seems snot normal to me. I think for now we will be trying to avoid to the GMO’s and eat organic when possible. Great post.

My first thought was no. I believe the browning process is probably there for a really good reason. However, I do believe that good can come from technology, so I guess I will wait and not be judgmental yet.

Nope, not buying them. I try to avoid GMO where possible. There is ZERO long term data on GMO foods, and they haven’t been thoroughly tested. If world hunger is your reasoning to accept GMO I’d suggest instead looking into a plant based diet. We can solve world hunger if we wanted to, just go vegan. Simple.

It looks like I’m the first here to be OKAY with genetically-modified foods. Why is that? It’s because we’ve been genetically modifying ALL our fruits and vegetables for centuries through artificial selection and cultivation. I’m not sure how many of us really realize this. Real apples that have not been genetically modified through cultivation are really tiny and really tart (like crab apples), and not something any of us are willingly going to eat. Now we can cultivate our fruits and vegetables in a lab, but that doesn’t make it bad. There have now been more than 2000 studies of GMO foods, and they’ve found genetically modified food to be safe. So would I want an apple that doesn’t brown? Yep. Because I don’t need browning to tell me when an apple has gone bad. Browning itself doesn’t make an apple bad. Browning is just what happens when the apple oxidizes, but it’s still edible. 🙂

I am not sure how I feel about this. I usually get apples from local farmer’s markets or fruit stands around here. If they brown before I eat them, I generally consider it my fault. I don’t really like to eat anything like this that has been genetically modified.

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